Tachysurus latifrontalis, a new bagrid species from the Jiulong-Jiang basin in Fujian Province, South China (Teleostei: Bagridae)

Tachysurus latifrontalis, a new catfish species, is here described based on specimens collected from the Jiulongjiang River: a coastal river flowing into the South China Sea in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, South China. It belongs to the Tachysurus nitidus species group within the genus Tachysurus, defined by having a smooth anterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine, short maxillary barbels not extending to the base of the pectoral-fin spine, at least 20 anal-fin rays and a deeply forked caudal fin. This new species is distinct from the other two members of this group, Tachysurus nitidus (nec Sauvage and Dabry de Thiersant 1874) and Tachysurus fui (Miao 1934), in having a wider interorbital space [width 46.3-55.0% of head length (HL) vs. 34.3-45.5%], shorter nasal barbels (length 10.6-17.2% of HL vs. 18.1-29.2%), and a deeper body [depth at anus 17.4-27.6% of standard length (SL) vs. 13.4-22.5%]. It further differs from T. fui in having fewer anal-fin rays (20-23 vs. 27-33), a shorter (vs. longer) anal-fin base (length 22.1-28.2% of SL vs. 29.8-36.0%) and a gas bladder with (vs. without) beaded lateral and posterior margins, and from T. nitidus in having a shorter (vs. longer) (length 18.8-20.2% of HL vs. 30.8-37.4%) as well as blunt and rounded (vs. projected and slightly pointed) snout.